halt1

 
Pronunciation: /hɔːlt/

verb

  • bring or come to an abrupt stop: [with object]: there is growing pressure to halt the bloodshed [no object]: she halted in mid sentence
  • [in imperative] used as a military command to bring marching soldiers to a stop: company, halt!

noun

  • a suspension of movement or activity, typically a temporary one: a halt in production a bus screeched to a halt
  • British a minor stopping place on a local railway line.

Phrases

call a halt

demand or order a stop: he decided to call a halt to all further discussion

Origin:

late 16th century: originally in the phrase make halt, from German haltmachen, from halten 'to hold'